Snowfall
by gstarkrogersbarnescurtis
Summary: Theres a calm before every storm, and this one has just begun; but is it already too late? (First story)
1. Falling

**Hello! This is my first fanfiction on FF, as I am still adjusting to the format and community :) Thank you for clicking on my story! Your acknowledgement does not go unappreciated, and I'd like to thank you c: I saw RotG just about a week ago, and wanted this to be my first story. Please R&R if you get the chance :D [WIP, might finish if by request!]**

**–**

It's a very rare sight to see Jack Frost fall from the sky.

Tooth watches from a distance, hovering over the sleigh. She stares with paralyzing horror, waiting– _wishing_– for him to regain his ability and stop falling. But he doesn't.

"Tooth," North warns, a great amount of alarm in his voice that cannot be masked by his thick accent. In a flash, she's flying towards Jack at break-neck speeds, through the misty clouds, trying, trying to get to him. She's so close.

_"Tooth!"_

Just as she catches Jack's wrist, she hears it. It's a sound she cringes at. Whirling around, it's difficult to spot the Night Mare coming at her. She jerks to the left, and dodges the monster narrowly, feeling it's coarse dust skim her arm too close for comfort. In the commotion, she almost drops Jack; he's slipping from her grasp, hanging by a single freezing pale hand, so she quickly pulls him up in her arms, safe from danger. She won't let anyone touch him. _He's safe_, she lies to herself, and it's a comforting lie.

"Jack?" Her voice is shaking. "Jack, open your eyes."

He doesn't open his eyes. His head is tilted back slightly, body limp. Tooth can detect the faint rise and fall of his chest from under his blue jacket, which is admitably very little comfort to ease her panick.

"Tooth, let's go!" Bunny calls to her, but she can hardly move. The rabbit's eyes fixed on the youngest Guardian as he lay motionless in Tooth's arms, and he too becomes a victem of the panick.

The sleigh comes up from behind her, and a pair of furry paws pull her and the teenager into their escape vehicle. She drops into the seat in the back next to Bunnymund and Sandy, North steering in front.

"Tooth? Tooth, whats wrong with him?" Bunny's voice is frantic and worried. She's only vaguely aware that Sandy took Jack from her to lay him down. Her senses flood her thoughts, and tears spring to her eyes rapidly, uncontrollably.

"Bunny, I..." The delicate feathers atop her head are trembling, and she turned to glance at Jack again. He still isn't moving, and looks to be in a painfully deep sleep. Sandy is looking worriedly at the boy, eyes flitting over his body for any wounds, scratches, bruises. Something he can fix, anything that they can heal. Theres nothing.

"Bunny, h-he was flying away from the Mares," Tooth manages to explain. "And I just saw him drop out of the sky. I couldn't even–" she's speaking faster than normal, voice taut anxiously. She looks at her hands, and then at Bunnymund in front of her. His attention is trained on Jack, now, a sort of confused concern in his eyes. He looks at Tooth.

"Did Pitch attack him?" Theres no ignoring the edge in his voice.

"I didn't see him hit Jack at all," She said wearily. "All I saw was–" Tooth gasped. Her eyes widened in devastation as realization dawned on her.

She turns, wings fluttering, looking over the sleigh's edge in desperation. She looks like she's searching for something in the dark night sky, but Bunny doesn't know what. He puts a paw on her shoulder, turning her to face him. He's almost suprised to see the alarming dread in her violet eyes.

"Bunny!" Tooth cries. "Jack's staff– it's _gone!_"


	2. Contemplation: Part 1 (Guilt)

**Hi again :D _WOW!_I got so many wonderful reviews, I don't know what to say! Thanks to everyone that reviewed, it really means a lot to me and I appreciate all of you.**

**Also, ****Noire Salvatore**** brought it to my attention that I was very vague on when this takes place. It takes place after the RotG movie, but not too long afterwards.**

**Anyway, heres Chapter Two! I should warn you, I really didn't think I'd get any reviews on the first part of this, so having to do a second chapter is sort of beyond what I had planned for XD I'll try my best, though, so I really hope I don't disappoint :) ****[PS- this chapter will come in TWO PARTS. Sorry if this chapter is sort of soft and not very appetizing, but I felt like the chapter should end briefly so I can get the informational stuff in afterwards. Next chapter = more explanations/more Jack!]**

As far as Bunnymund knew, Tooth never really didn't _not_ talk.

Not that he didn't enjoy her talkative ease; her wit and bubbly personality brought relief to awkward moments and tense subjects. But to say that Tooth was _speechless–_ well, _that _was what worried him.

As Tooth, Bunny, and Sandy stood in North's workshop, all eyes trained on Jack, not a word was spoken. North had several spare bedrooms (to say he never had guests was to be lying.), and they had no choice but to occupy one of them with the wounded Guardian. Where else were they to go? Jack had no home, no bed, no family to call his own. To their concern, they _were_ his family.

So, Jack Frost lay in front of them: vulnerable, shivering, eyes cinched shut and teeth gritted in pain.

"What do we do?"

Bunny almost didn't hear Tooth's words, as they were hardly above a whisper. Her hand hovered in front of her mouth, her breathing quiet. She seemed to be clinging to every breath he took, as if any one of them could be his last.

"I..." Bunny opened his mouth to answer her, because Sandy didn't look like he would. But Bunnymund didn't _know_ the answer. He knew little more than the rest of them did– if not, less. He hadn't handled a situation like this in a long time.

"I don't know." He said, letting a defeated sigh escape. His ears wilted and he looked down, arms folded over his chest. The truth was, he _didn't_ know, and that was as honest as it got.

"Sandy?" Tooth turned to the Sandman, but Sandy looked just as defeated. His eyes cascaded to the floor, and he looked away from Tooth. He looked hurt, to say the least. He didn't make a noise, which wasn't unusual, but she took his silence as not a lack of answer, but a very plain one. None of them knew, and none of them would know, until–

"The poor kid. He didn't ask to be a Guardian."

Tooth and Sandy both turned to look at Bunnymund in subtle surprise. As much as they all knew that Bunny _was_, in fact, capable of being sympathetic, he had hardly bothered to express any acceptance to Jack since he joined the team. And this being one of their darkest hours, he chooses _now_ to be sympathetic?

"Bunny, no one asks to be a Guardian. It's something that just... _happens_." Tooth spoke, because she knew that whatever Bunymund felt, it sounded like guilt. They all felt guilty to some degree; but they all knew who was really to blame.

"Yeah? Well, maybe it would have been for the best if he wasn't a Guardian." Bunny looked at Tooth, and she could have sworn that his eyes were a shade darker. "Maybe, if he wasn't a Guardian, then we wouldn't be in this mess. He wouldn't be hurt."

Tooth and Sandy were left in a dumbfounded silence. Not because they didn't know what to say, but because they knew beyond a shade of doubt that Bunny was right.

As it turned out, they didn't have to say anything. A heartbeat later, North appeared in the doorway, looking somewhat confident. He clutched a map in his hand, and they all saw his eyes glance at Jack briefly.

"Guardians," North said reverently, looking back to them. "I know what we can do."


	3. Contemplation: Part 2 (Planning)

**Part two, right here :) Also, the next chapter will most likely reveal Pitch's plans (erm, did I just give away the bad guy?), but I have a question: would you guys be in favor of ****_another_**** villain? I know a lot of people are Pitch fans, and based on majority rule, I'd just like to know your take on the idea :) Thanks again! Please R&R if you get the chance c:**

****North had, naturally, always been good with plans.

No one knew what it was, but everyone had a good sense of what it could be; one could, in theory, say it was his experience of planning the same day every year, and _always_ succeeded in following that plan, verbatim. But the Guardians had personal experience with the man himself. It was safe for them to say that planning may have just been in his blood, etched into his bones.

North spread out the map in front of the three Guardians, who had all filed into his main office. His calloused hands ran along the paper roughly. Tooth, Bunny and Sandy all leaned closer, studying the markings on the map.

Said markings were rough to translate, words like "Pitch" and "caution" scrawled incautiously in black ink. Some words were spontaneously written in Russian, others just plain illegible. Ink splotches were speckled in various corners, and a generous chunk of the paper was torn carelessly. But the map held the information they so desperately needed.

"What is this?" Bunnymund exclaims in exasperation, looking defiantly at North. Bunny's ears were erect challengingly. "I can't even read the bloody legend."

North dismissed the Easter Bunny's criticism with little acknowledgement. "Pitch is _here_," He pointed a finger on the page, some fresh ink now smeared. An area of America was circled rapidly, ink bleeding through the paper. The Guardians leaned closer to get a better look, squinting to make out the painfully accurate charted terrain. "And _we_ need to get there."

Sandy nodded in approval. Tooth, though still grief-stricken, seemed determined. Bunnymund couldn't look less enthusiastic.

"Wait, wait," Bunny protested. "Pitch? How do we know this is Pitch's work? It could be anyone! It could be–"

"Bunny." North cut off Bunny's protest, leaning on his desk. "How many people do you know produce Night Mares? Do you know anyone else that can summon that kind of _power_?"

"The groundhog isn't a legitimate answer, either." Tooth chimed in. Bunnymund cast a glare in her direction.

"This could be someone we don't know how to deal with," Bunny proceeded his campaign. "And we'd be diving headfirst into a bloody one-sided fight. What if we don't stand a chance?"

"What if we _do?_" North countered smoothly.

"Why would Pitch even want Jack's staff, anyway?"

"Lots of reasons! Why do you even need to ask?"

"Yeah, mate, but there's a million ways to try to hit us home, and he chooses an _ambush_ of all tactics? I may not know fear personally, but fear isn't stupid."

Sandy watched the argument as if it were a tennis match, his eyes darting from one side to the next. Tooth was quickly coming close to knocking their heads together, when something caught her eye in the doorway.

"Guys," She warned.

Bunny kept the argument alive, ignoring Tooth. "Pitch could be well underestimated, North, you know that."

"Why do you make it sound worse than it is? All I'm saying is that we go in, get the staff, and–"

"Eye, North, but what about Jack?"

"_Guys!_" Tooth's voice was nearing hysteria. North and Bunny both faced her, both ready to simultaneously snap, but they fell silent when they saw the young boy leaning on the door frame.

Jack was shaking, and when he spoke, his voice was hoarse. "_What_ about me?"


	4. Please, tell me

**You guys are drop-dead ****_amazing._**** I'm so grateful for every single view, follow, favorite, and comment! :D Special thanks to everyone encouraging me to continue, the motivation is really helpful. This chapter is a bit more insightful, but I apologize for the vagueness D: more Jack, as promised. I hope I hit this just right. This ones for you guys. Thanks again, and enjoy! :)**

"Jack," Tooth's voice was tedious, warning, concerned. None of them moved, and everyone was silent. "How... when did you wake up?"

The boy didn't move from his spot in the doorway. His left arm was wrapped around his stomach as if the gesture might ease his pain. He was leaning heavily on the door frame, and it was so foreign to see Jack Frost in such a weakened state. His blue eyes were angry, annoyed, furious. But the pain that was behind his icy blue irises was something fierce.

"It doesn't matter when I woke up." Jack countered Tooth's question, his gaze lingering painfully on her violet eyes before looking away. "Where's my staff?"

North was silent. Sandy looked at Bunnymund, but the Easter Bunny didn't want to say anything, either. Tooth gave a tentative glance at the three of them, looking for answers, but she just looked back to Jack and took a small step towards him. He took a step back.

"Jack, we need to talk to you. Just a talk. We'll explain whats happening, I promise, but in the mean time–"

"_No,_" Jack said, his brevity icy. His voice had a small break in it, a fine tremor in his cold body. He knew he felt weird, different, empty and sick and light-headed and hurting. But he needed answers more than anything. He _wanted_ answers more than anything. "I want to know what happened to my staff."

"Jack," Tooth tried again. It was hurting her to see him look so desperate and helpless. She didn't want him to move, she just wanted him to calm down and listen.

"Tooth, _please._"

It was that pleading look in his eyes. It was his nails digging into his jacket, because the pain was getting to an intense peak by now. It was her own weakness for him, and so she looked back at the other Guardians for permission.

Sandy was obviously suffering from the tension, and looked tempted to tell Jack himself. North gave her a small, almost unnoticeable nod. Bunny had his arms folded over his chest, and a look that said _"He deserves to know."_

Tooth turned back to Jack, but before she could answer, she saw him flinch. She watched his muscles tense, and heard the catch in his breath that could have been mistaken for a gasp. He gripped the door frame with his free hand, gritting his teeth in pain.

Somewhere, halfway across the world, there was an audible _snap_ from a wooden staff.

It's ironic that fear fears fear.

Theres a fear in everyone, wether it be insecurity, anxiety, nervousness, or the raw ingredient itself. Darkness thrived off of it, but there was always something bigger, darker, more terrifying. And fear feared it.

Pitch flew into rural Upstate New York. It had taken him approximately only one hour to get there, but another thirty minutes to try to find the hidden location. They picked the darkest area, the most uninhabited by humans. Fear resides in the quietest of places.

The forest was dark, the trees damp. Their canopies hid the stars and the sky; he did not see the Moon.

The cave took some time to locate. Frustrated with his loss of direction, Pitch wandered until he saw the darkness deepen. His hand gripped tightly around the wooden staff in his hand. It looked insignificantly like any ordinary stick, a weak twig that someone could find on the ground. But something about it felt _powerful_.

"Hello?" Pitch called into the night. There wasn't an answer, no noise to come back to him but his own echo. There were no animals about, no crickets or night creatures. Perhaps they had all been scared away.

"Deimos, I know you're there. Come out. I've got your staff."

The darkness shifted, like it was alive, but it wasn't. A figure, darker than the depths of the ocean or the midnight sky, walked out of the dense blackness.

"You have it?" The voice was as deep and mysterious as the figure itself. "Let me see it."

Pitch's hand came up to reveal the staff.

If darkness had a smile, Deimos wore it.

**What did you think? Good? Bad? Cliché? I chose Deimos (a shout out to the Greek Mythology fans reading this ;) ) the Greek Mythological god of Terror, son of Ares and Aphrodite, brother to Phobos. I thought the role would suit Pitch Black well as a partner in crime, don't you think? Let me know your opinions on the Reviews, I'd really appreciate it! c:**


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